Researcher (Production Assistant) / Washington, DC

At National Geographic we are seeking an organized and naturally curious individual to support our research function. As a Researcher, you will be responsible for factual content for assigned projects to ensure accuracy, journalistic integrity, and overall compliance with editorial standards of National Geographic publications and National Geographic television & video content.

Responsibilities:

• Provide prompt, thorough research analysis on assigned original productions, including fact-checking shooting scripts, rough cuts, fine cuts, and ensuring final programs comply with National Geographic editorial standards.
• Work with the Directors of Editorial Research and Editorial Research Managers to diplomatically guide production executives, producers, writers, and production company researchers in addressing factual issues.
• Guide production teams in the creation of a complete annotated script, providing feedback and additional research to get to an acceptable final annotated script and approved video, audio, graphics, and lower-thirds.
• Suggest visual edits and narration changes to address accuracy, premise, context, balance, and character issues.
• Fact-check and create annotated scripts for acquired programs. Provide edits suggestions, as needed.
• Research re-versioning projects – working with Yellow Border/National Geographic Studios team to fix programs that are dated or are being re-purposed as a new program.
• Evaluate program proposals/treatments and work with development team, executive producers, and acquisition managers to address accuracy, premise, context, balance, and character issues prior to production.
• Evaluate new program proposals/treatments, as noted above, and write Editorial Research Assessments as part of the greenlight process.
• Fact-check, edit, and/or write materials to serve the digital, social, marketing/PR, communications, and editorial needs of assigned National Geographic Publications projects.
• Update database and associated research files for assigned projects.
• Work with production management and senior directors to track schedules and workload peaks.
• Provide researched/accurate information to guide creation of digital, promotional and other content related to channel programming and National Geographic digital video products. This may extend to writing primers on a subject matter, “fun facts,” and timelines.

Requirements:

• Excellent research, oral and written communication skills.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Attention to detail and ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Must exercise independent judgment and marshal arguments effectively.
• Must be organized, self-motivated, and resourceful.
• Must be able to solve editorial problems quickly and creatively; complete multiple, simultaneous assignments under tight deadlines; focus in a fast-paced, busy work environment.
• Understanding of video editing capabilities and limitations is a plus.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in a research-intensive discipline or equivalent work experience

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